Lonely without Japan
by MoonSparrow
Summary: When sorting though pictures for a "World Scrapbook" of sorts, Italy and the others notice that Japan is in a lot of pictures. Italy realizes, with some help, that things would be very lonely if Japan weren't there. One-shot. Enjoy. :


**MoonSparrow: Hello, everyone! I was watching a Japan video today that inspired me to write this little one-shot! A quick shout out to Blue; thank you for introducing me to Alexander Rybak! I love his music! And love you, Blue!**

**Anyway, this fic was inspired from CriminalMedisin's youtube video ****[APH] If Japan were gone**** using Mr. Rybak's song, "If you were gone." So, this just kind of came to mind and as I thought about it, the more it became something I wanted to write. **

**So here you go! **

**Disclaimer: I don not own anything.**

**Let's begin with the story, shall we?**

…**~… **

"Look! He's in this one, too!" Italy exclaimed as he pointed to yet another picture of his friend, Japan. Italy Veneziano, along with many others of the countries, was helping with a sort of "World Scrapbook." He was one of the countries in the group that was sorting pictures.

Germany glanced over at the picture and nodded, returning to the pile he was working on. "That he is." He replied.

America popped over and looked at the picture, too. "Man, Japan is in all of these, bro!" To prove his point, he grabbed the stack of pictures he had been sorting through. "Look. Japan is in all of these ones, too." Italy was surprised by how many pictures Japan was in.

"I bet Japan would've loved seeing those. You know how much he loves pictures." England said from where he was seated across the table. "Is he coming today?"

"No, aru." China answered as he brought another medium sized box of pictures over to the sorting table. "Japan is still trying to clean up and help around his house after those disasters, aru."

"What a shame. I miss the old chap." England stated.

Germany sighed. "Things are really bad in his country, aren't they?" Germany shook his head slightly. "It's almost been a year and they're still getting over it."

"Oh, but things are much better than they were right after the disasters, Mr. Germany!" Liechtenstein piped up. She was seated next to England across the table from the others. Attention was hers as she said this. "Big brother told me after he visited Japan last week." She replied sheepishly.

"Well, I hope he comes back soon." Germany said.

"It's not quite the same without him, is it, aru?" China admitted.

"Ja," was all Germany said in reply.

…~…

After some time, everyone was getting ready to go to dinner together at the end of the day. While everyone was getting their coats, Liechtenstein and Italy were putting away what was still left out of the pictures. Italy stopped and looked again at the many pictures that Japan was in, as they sat spread out before him on the table.

"Ve- Japan sure is in a lot of these pictures." Italy murmured to himself.

"It would be lonely though, wouldn't it?" Liechtenstein quietly thought aloud to herself as she came over by where Italy stood. He looked at her in confusion, letting out a soft, puzzled "Ve?"

"I mean, if Japan weren't in these pictures. If Japan were gone, it sure would be lonely, wouldn't it? All these pictures, even if they have other people in them, they would be very lonely." She explained. With a smile, she added, "I'm happy he's in so many pictures. Japan has a really lovely smile."

After that, they finished putting away the pictures and left to join the other for dinner. Later, Germany and Italy said goodnight to one another and Italy slipped off to sleep, lying next to Germany.

Italy's dreams, however, weren't very peaceful.

It started out that Italy and Germany were waiting to start training when Japan came jogging in, and apologized repeatedly for being late. Then, the dream turned into Italy was out on a walk and he spotted Japan. As he came closer to his ally, he saw that Japan was looking very tired and battered. Still, though, he greeted Italy with a smile, even as he leaned further on the walking stick he had at his side.

"Ve~ What's that, Japan?" Italy asked in the dream, pointing to the walking stick.

"Hm? Oh, I guess I am just getting to be a very old man, Italy-san." Japan said with a small laugh. A little cough followed.

Then, the dream swirled to Italy rushing to ask Germany when their Japanese friend would be better and they could se him again. When Italy came into the study of the very man he was looking for, he found a very tired and almost mournful looking Germany.

"Germany, Germany!" Italy's voice made the German's head rise to look toward the door.

"Germany, when is Japan going to be well, again? Are we going to see him soon? I miss him, Germany!" Germany's eyes were full of sadness and dread at what he knew he had to tell the bright nation before him.

"I-Italy," Germany began with a slim hoarseness to it. He cleared his throat and Italy came closer to the desk.

"Yeah, Germany?"

"Italy, we will not be seeing Japan again soon." Confusion crossed Italy's face. "Japan was gravely wounded by those disasters. The stress of trying to help his country while he had those wounds, they were too much for him, Italy." Germany swallowed. "Japan n-no longer exists, Italy." His voice kind of cracked as he said it. "Italy, J-Japan is gone. I'm sorry."

Slowly, once the force and the meaning of those words hit Italy, he shook his head, tears already gliding down his face. "J-Japan." He choked out.

Then, Italy shot up into a sitting position, crying and wailing softly. Germany was quick to wake up as well, trying to comfort the distressed Italian and see what had made him so upset.

"Italy, why are you crying?" Germany's gruff, but gentle voice questioned.

"J-J-Japan." Italy only managed to sputter out through his tears.

"Japan? Italy, Japan is fine. You probably had a bad dream, that's all." Germany tried.

The words somewhat calmed Italy down. As he gained control over his gasping breaths, and turned them back into a steady rhythm, Italy asked one thing.

"C-could we see Japan tomorrow?"

Germany sighed. "Sure, Italy." He agreed. "Now, go back to sleep."

…~…

Early the next morning, Germany awoke to call his Japanese friend.

Eventually, the ringing stopped with a click, and was followed by a, "Hello. This is Japan."

"Good morning, Japan." Germany greeted.

"Germany-san?" Japan's surprised voice sounded through the telephone.

"Ja. Would it be alight with you if Italy and I came by to visit you today?" Germany asked, closing his eyes as he remembered what he promised the Italian the previous night.

"… You want to come visit me?" A shocked sounding Japan asked.

"Italy had some sort of nightmare last night, and woke up crying. When I asked him why he was crying, all he said was your name. Then, he asked if we could see you today." The momentary silence told Germany that Japan was taken aback.

"Hai. You two can come visit today." There was a hint of a smile in Japan's voice. They confirmed a time and gave their farewells.

…~…

Once noontime had come around, Italy was getting very excited and slightly nervous about their visit to Japan. Italy couldn't wait to see his friend again, but he was apprehensive at that he was afraid that they would find a battered and tired Japan, as similar to the one of Italy's dream.

Germany and Italy were soon at Japan's home. It was looking nice as it usually did, showing that the country was close to being completely recovered. This reassured Germany and Italy, to some extent, though he still wanted to see the nation himself.

The door at the entrance to the home slid open before them, and out came Japan, dressed in cleaning clothes. Italy froze a second at the sight of a healthy, and what he was guessing was a happy, Japan. His usual bright smile found it's place on Italy's face, and he couldn't stop himself from rushing to Japan and engulfing the smaller nation in a warm and overjoyed embrace.

"Japan! Ve~! You're okay!" Italy exclaimed as a flustered Japan tried to breathe through the crushing hug he was receiving.

"Italy-san, could you let go, please? I can't breathe." Italy let Japan out of the hug, but held his fried at arms' length.

"Japan, I'm so happy to see you!"

"Yes, Italy-san. I can see that. I am also very pleased to see you. And Germany-san, too." Japan, a small smile going towards the German as he came closer to the two.

"It is good to see you, again, too, Japan." Germany said with smile in return.

After Italy let Japan go, the three walked inside the home to eat lunch together off the back of the house. While they ate, Japan asked the question he had been wondering since that morning.

"So, Italy-san, Germany-san told me you had a nightmare. Was there something that happened in it that made you want to come visit today?" Japan asked politely.

"Huh? Oh, yes! Japan, I had a scary dream last night with you in it. It started with you being late for training one day." Italy filled in his two teammates about the events of his dream. Once he finished, there was a short silence. Japan was the first to speak.

"I am very sorry, Italy-san, to have worried you. Thank you, for thinking of me, though." Japan let a small smile appear on his face again. "Things were very hard for a while, but I am doing much better now."

"I'm glad you are doing well, Japan." Germany said truthfully.

"Me, too!" Italy chimed in happily.

Japan looked down at the cup of tea in his hands for a moment. Then he looked up at each of them in turn as he said, "I missed you very much, Italy-san and Germany-san. It really is very good to see you both again."

Then Japan was engulfed in another hug, from the side this time, from Italy. Though shocked a moment, Japan returned the hug with one arm, and Germany joined in the hug as well.

Though he wouldn't admit it, Germany was relieved to see that Japan, as well.

…~…

The next day, Germany and Italy had returned to help on the scrapbook, again. Italy smiled at Liechtenstein as he sat down across from her. When he looked down at the first few pictures already laid out there on the table, Italy couldn't help but notice Japan's smiling face on three of them.

"Ve~ Japan is in these pictures, too." Italy laughed quietly to himself.

American came over yet again; knocking over the cup of tea that England was carrying back to the table, causing it to spill down his front.

"Could you slow down and watch where you're going for once, America?" An angry England snapped as he began to wipe off the tea from his shirt, with Liechtenstein coming over to help him.

"Sorry, bro." America said the Englishman as reached Italy. "Wow. Japan really _is_ in all of these, isn't he, bro?" America laughed.

"That's okay, though." Italy said. "Because, all these pictures," Italy began, smiling and looking at an also smiling Liechtenstein, "would be really lonely without Japan in them." Germany felt a small smile dance on his lips where he stood to the side of Italy.

Liechtenstein made her way over to Italy, and as she straightened one of the pictures, she noted with a smile, "I'm happy he's in so many pictures." She paused, seeing Italy glance her way with a knowing smile. "Japan has a lovely smile."

"Ve~ I think so, too."

…~…

**MoonSparrow: What did I just write? I find it silly that I got this from a four and a half long video. : 3 **

** I kind of feel like I just accidentally wrote a LeichIta fic. : 3 I don't know. What do you guys think of it? I'm glad that I wrote this. I was surprised by how eager and how determined I was to write this.**

** Can you guys believe it, though? In about a week, it will have been a year since the earthquakes and all those disasters that happened in Japan last March. I was a little surprised myself. **

** Well, It is now 2:50-ish in the morning, so I'm going to post this thing and get some sleep! **

** Well, I hope you all liked it. Thanks for reading! Review, maybe? Byez!**


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